Abruzzo Food: Dishes, Wines and Local Products to Try (2026)

Abruzzo food comes from two worlds. First, there are the mountains of the Gran Sasso and the Majella, with sheep, lentils and saffron. Then there is the Adriatic coast, with fish soups and trabocchi. As a result, it is one of the least-known regional cuisines in Italy and one of the most rewarding. In this guide, you will find the dishes to order and the region’s wines. You will also find the protected products and the best time to go.

Last updated: September 25, 2026

Abruzzo food at a glance

The dishes to order in Abruzzo

The signature of Abruzzo food is the arrosticino: a thin skewer of lamb or mutton, cut into small cubes and grilled on a long, narrow brazier called a canala. According to Wikipedia, they come from the area southeast of the Gran Sasso, in the provinces of L’Aquila, Teramo and Pescara. Today, people eat them all over the region. Locals order them by the dozen and eat them straight from the skewer with bread and olive oil.

For pasta, try maccheroni alla chitarra. Cooks press sheets of egg dough through the wires of a wooden frame, the chitarra or “guitar”, which gives the pasta a square edge. It usually comes with a lamb or mixed meat ragù. In Teramo, meanwhile, scrippelle ’mbusse are thin crêpes with pecorino, rolled up in a bowl of chicken broth. In addition, timballo layers the same crêpes with meat and cheese.

Other mountain dishes include lentil soup with the tiny lentils of Santo Stefano di Sessanio and pecora alla cottora, mutton slow-cooked with herbs. For cheese, try pecorino di Farindola. On the coast, by contrast, every town has its brodetto, a fish soup; in Vasto, cooks prepare it in a terracotta pot with sweet peppers.

The wines of Abruzzo

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is the region’s main red, a DOC since 1968, made mostly from the Montepulciano grape. However, despite the name, it has nothing to do with Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. That is a Tuscan wine from the Sangiovese grape; our guide to Tuscan wines explains the difference.

Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo is a rosé from the same grape, with a deep cherry color, and it became a separate DOC in 2010. In addition, the main white is Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, with Pecorino and Passerina as lively local whites. Also, many producers welcome visitors, especially in the hills of the Colline Teramane and around Chieti; book ahead, since opening times vary.

Protected products to take home

• Saffron of L’Aquila: the Zafferano dell’Aquila has been a protected designation of origin since 2005. Farmers grow it on the Navelli plateau and in the Subequana valley. They pick the flowers at dawn in the second half of October.
• Confetti di Sulmona: almonds coated in sugar, made in Sulmona for centuries and shaped into flowers and bouquets for weddings.
• Lentils of Santo Stefano di Sessanio: small, dark lentils grown at high altitude around one of the region’s best-known hill villages.
• Ventricina: a spicy, coarse cured pork sausage from the Vasto area.
• Centerbe: a strong herbal liqueur traditionally made with mountain herbs.

For the villages behind these products, see our guides to the best places to visit in Abruzzo and the hidden gems of Abruzzo.

When to go for Abruzzo food

Fall is the best season for Abruzzo food. October brings the saffron harvest and November the new olive oil. In the mountains, look for porcini and truffles, and for village sagre, food festivals, around the harvest. In contrast, summer brings seafood on the coast and mountain lunches after a hike. Meanwhile, winter is the time for lentil and bean soups and slow-cooked mutton. However, dates of sagre change every year, so check with the local tourist office before you plan around one.

To combine food with hiking and nature, read our guide to outdoor adventures in Abruzzo, and for the whole region, our Abruzzo travel guide.

Keep tasting Italy. Abruzzo’s cooking is honest and generous. Here is where to taste more of it, and of its neighbors.

• Molise travel guide: Abruzzo’s quiet neighbor and its kitchen.
• Italian cheese: the most famous cheeses and where they come from.
• Italian bread: regional loaves, DOP breads and how to eat them.
• Sunday lunch in Italy: the pranzo della domenica and how to join it.

Abruzzo food: frequently asked questions

What food is Abruzzo known for?

Arrosticini, the lamb or mutton skewers grilled over coals, maccheroni alla chitarra, saffron from L’Aquila and the red wine Montepulciano d’Abruzzo.

What are arrosticini?

Thin skewers of small lamb or mutton cubes grilled on a long brazier. They come from the Gran Sasso area, and people eat them across Abruzzo.

Is Montepulciano d’Abruzzo the same as Vino Nobile di Montepulciano?

No. Producers in Abruzzo make Montepulciano d’Abruzzo from the Montepulciano grape; Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is a Tuscan wine made mainly from Sangiovese.

When is the saffron harvest in Abruzzo?

In October. Growers pick the flowers of the Zafferano dell’Aquila at dawn, mainly in the second half of the month.

What is Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo?

A deep cherry-colored rosé made from the Montepulciano grape, with its own DOC since 2010.